Candles have been used to generate light and heat from ancient times to the present. While electric lights have to a large extent replaced candles for utilitarian lighting purposes, candles still are used for many specialized purposes. Candles are used when electricity is unavailable, such as during power outages, and for camping, where the heat generating quality of candles may be particularly useful. Even when electricity is available, candles are still used for their decorative effect. For instance, candles are often used for supplemental table-side lighting in homes and restaurants. Candles are also used extensively in many religious ceremonies and for other religious purposes, sometimes in large quantities and for prolonged periods of time, with different types of candles associated with different religious ceremonies.
"Taper" candles are truncated cones, with a length that is substantially greater than their maximum diameter, so that there is a gradual taper from the base of the candle to the wick end of the candle. This results in a lower center of gravity than would exist without the taper, which increases the stability of the candle. Taper candles are widely used for decorative and religious purposes. "Votive" candles are primarily cylindrical in shape, with a length that is much closer to the diameter of the candle than is the case for taper candles. As their name suggests, votive candles are often used-in religious ceremonies and for religious fund raising. Like taper candles, votive candles are also widely used for their decorative effect.
The basic operation of candles is well known: a wick extends through combustible wax such as paraffin that comprises the body of the candle, and lighting the wick maintains a flame that gradually melts and consumes the candle wax. Different wax compositions are used to created candles with different burning rates. The candle making process is also well known. Candles may be manufactured by pouring molten wax into mold, and allowing the wax to solidify. Alternatively, candles are manufactured by repeatedly dipping the wick into-molten wax and allowing the wax to harden onto the wick or the previous build-up of wax, to create a layered effect of wax around a central wick.
Despite the long history of candle manufacture and use, the nature of candle wax continues to pose difficulties in the shipping and storing of candles. Candle wax softens, and even melts, at temperatures that are commonly reached during the routine candle shipping and storing process. Even if the candles do not melt, the softened candles may bend, and then reharden in their bent condition. Taper candles are particularly prone to bending because their elongate shape provides little rigidity transverse to the candle axis. A melted candle loses its shape completely. Votive candles are less likely to bend than taper candles because of their thicker cross section. However, votive candles are commonly manufactured of wax with a relatively low melting point, so that the votive candles at least partially melt between the time of their manufacture and the time that they are delivered to their eventual users. Either bent or melted candles result in spoilage of the candles, entailing reduced manufacturer profits and/or higher consumer costs.
One method of reducing candle spoilage due to heat effects is to ship and store the candles in a temperature controlled environment. However, this is unduly expensive and is not done in practice. Another approach would be to manufacture candles out of wax that has a higher melting temperature than current candles have. However, this may be costly or may have adverse effects on the burning characteristics of the candles. Instead, a certain amount of candle spoilage has been tolerated as a cost of the candle-making business. Thus, a need exists to reduce candle deformation spoilage that uses current candle designs and is not prohibitively expensive.